Plural selective position cam actuator for valves



March 3, 1953 T. N. HANNANT PLURAL SELECTIVE POSITION CAM ACTUATOR FORALVES i. SHEETS--SHEET 1 Filed Nov. 9, 1949 ATTORNEY INVENTOR. WIEODOREA! HAMYHNT March 3, 1953 HANNANT 2,630,018

PLURAL SELECTIVE POSITION CAM ACTUATOR FOR VALVES Filed Nov. 9, 1949 2SHEETS-SHEET 2 I 1 5 INVENTOR. Weapons /V. /'/4/v/w9/v7 ag ATTORNEYPatented Mar. 3, 1953 :BLURAL; SELECTIVE ROS ITIQNLCAM AGEUATDR FOR{VALVES Theodore N. 'Ha-nnant, CedarGrove,"N.,iI., as-

-sign0rto Specialties Development Corporation, Bellev'ille, N. .1. 3,corporatiom of New Jersey Application November 9,1949,=S,erialrNo.126,375

IZCIaims.

11 This invention relates to improvements "in control devices,.and isparticularly directed .to

such devices which are adapted to beusedffor effecting the release,offfiuid. pressure .medium from. containers.

While the .fluid release l control .device .or the present invention hasmanifold applications, "it is particularly adapted for use with,containers for fluid medium under pressure, .sucnas carbon dioxide,employed. for inflatin rafts and the'jlike.

Release control devices of .the character .infdicated are employedforoperating avalve .to release medium froma container vand generallycomprisea pull cable wrap eduabout asheave, which sheave when rotatedlby pullin on .the cable, actuates the .valve to effect .thereleaseoifthe medium. Thehousing of the ,devicehas-a cable outlet with anopeningtdisposed in the general direction of thecable, or inlotherwords, in the direction of pullho'f the cable.

Inflatable rafts .of the character with which ithe fluid release controldevices of ,the present in vention are suitable for use. aregenerallyreferred to as packrafts, forthe reasonthat they are eachfolded or packed in their deflzitdcondition into a compact unit whennotin use. One or more containers offididpressurelmediumare secured. inthe packedra'ft, each container'having its discharge outletleading tothe interioroflthe raft, and eachhaving apnll cable, .Oneend of which isoperatively connected to the release control device of the container.and'theotherjen'd of which extends to the ,outsi'de o f the packeldunit, whereby, upon pullingthe cable, therelease control device isoperate'cl'to efiec'tthe discharge of the fluid pressurem'edium into"the raft 'to inflate the same. In such rafts, the direction of pull ofthe cable is predetermined by the position the container is to assume,within the packed unit, relative to the position or location 'of-ttheouter end of the pull ,cable. In some raftsthe pull is downwardly, thatis in a-direction down along the body of the container, inwhich casearelease control "device having-its cable "outlet-disposed in that"direction is employed, while other rafts the pullmay-be upwardlyfltthatis'in the opposite directionyin-which case a release control devicehaving-its cable outlet disposed" in that directionis employed. Somesuch rafts employ-morethan one-container which --may be -so disposed .aSto require release control devices operable by cables "adaptedtoxbepulle'dfin-dlfferent directions.

Insecurin the container and itsirelea'se 10011- trol device in the raft,itis impOrtantthaVthe .p iqper release .control device be employed, sothat thepullwillhe direct, ,asdistinguished from a pull .which.,isindirect. ,Should a release control device having its cable outletdisposed in a down- ,wardly ,directionbe used where a pullin anfupwardly direction is desired, a kink in the cable would result uponpulling the cableand thereby prevent ready operation of .therelease,control .device, resulting in failure to inflate the raft. .Eortheifore oingreason, several types ,of release control devices havebeensupplied with containers .for lin'fiating rafts, ,each having itscable outlet in a fixed position, hence operable in one direction.oniy,,res11lting.in thenecessityjfor a larger .number "of releasecontrol .devices ,and containers to be on, hand than is,actuallyrequired.

Accord ngl one ,of'the objects of thepresent invention is to provide arelease control device ,of-the,characterindicatedwhich canbe operatedfrom a selected oneof aplurality, of positions.

Another ,objectof the invention resides inthe provision. of .areleasecontrol device of the character indicated which is so constructed thatit ,willoperate efiiciently regardless of the selected position. fromwhich it. is operated.

Another object is ,theprovision of means for readily threadingacableabout'the sheaveof the device.

A ,furthertobject resides in the provision of meansior, indicatingwhether or not the fluid release ,mechanism has beenoperated.

,A stillfurther object of the, present invention isithe provision .of a.release control device which is readilyconvertible for operation fromdifferent directions.

'Otherandfurther objects of the present invention willbe obvious'iromthe following description and ,the accompanying drawings.

TGenera1ly,the ,jfluid .release control device of thegpresent, inventioncomprises a housing for attachment to a container ofjfiuid medium underpressureand having a valvefor controlling .the release ofgthe.mediumifrom the container. The housing provides 'a chamber whichencloses the operating 'mechanismjfor the valve, which mechanismincludes a platehavinga cam securedto one facethereof, and aneccentrically disposed stud projecting-from the other face thereof formounting a sheave removably on the plate, and a cam follower. adapted tobe moved by the cam into engagement with the "stem of the valveto effectthe opening of'th'e' valve,-whereby'to permit the discharge ofthe-medium into a raft with which the container-isassociated. Agpullcable'is provide'dfor"operatingthesheave and has one ofits 3 endsdetachably connected to the sheave, so that when the other end of thecable is pulled the sheave will be rotated and the cable pulled free ofthe release control device, the rotation of the sheave effecting therotation of the plate and cam. The housing has a pair of cable outletsdisposed substantially opposite each other for selectively accommodatingthe cable in one of two selected positions. In order that the sheave mayaccommodate the pull cable, in either posi- I tion selected, the sheavehas a pair of apertures extending therethrough and disposedsubstantially 180 apart for the mounting the sheave in one of twoselected positions on the aforesaid plate with the eccentric stud ineither of the apertures. The sheave is provided with a cam face whichnormally is in register with the cable outlet after operation of therelease control device,

whereby to facilitate threading the cable about the sheave inconditioning the device for operation.

A preferred embodiment of a fluid release control device in accordancewith the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawingswherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the release control device of thepresent invention, shown secured to a container for storing fluid mediumunder pressure.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, of thedevice as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, taken at right anglesto the view shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 with certain of the parts indifferent positions; and

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the valve operatingmechanism of the release control device.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a valve body H! is provided with aconnecting portion l2 internally threaded for attachment to the neck 14of a container ['6 for a fluid pressure medium, such as carbon dioxide.

The body l6 has a valve seat l8 formed therein on which a valve member20 is normally held by means of a spring 22 when the container is empty,and which is held thereon by the pressure of the medium when thecontainer is charged to form a closure for the outlet of the container.The valve member 20 has one end of a valve stem 26 secured thereto, theother end of which extends into a chamber 26. This stem serves as aclosure opening or valve unseating member. The valve stem is adapted tooperate in a bore 28 which is of larger diameter than the stem, the stembeing provided with a collar 33 slidably fitting in the bore. Adischarge outlet 32 communicates with the bore and is provided with athreaded nipple for the attachment of a connection (not shown) whichleads to the interior of an inflatable raft (not shown).

A cam follower is disposed in the chamber 26 comprising an arm 34pivotally mounted on the valve body by means of a screw threaded stud36. The cam follower arm 34 has a roller 38 at its free end and isprovided with a spring member 40 adapted normally to bias the arm awayfrom the end of the valve stem and into engagement with a cam 42. r

The cam 442 is carried on a plate M having a central bore for rotatablymounting the same on a shaft 48 secured to the valve body and extendinginto the chamber 26. The cam is permanently secured to the plate 44 in afixed position thereon 4 by a stud or pin 46. The plate 44 has aneccentrically mounted stud 50 secured thereto, which stud projects fromthe face thereof opposite the cam face.

A sheave 52, as shown in Figure 5, has a central opening for mountingthe same rotatably on the shaft 48, and has a pair of diametricallyopposite apertures M and 56 on either side of the central opening,whereby the sheave may be mounted on the shaft 48 and the stud 59 in twodifferent positions, as will be described more fully hereinafter. Thesheave also has a transverse cut-out portion 58 providing a spacebetween the periphery of the sheave and the inner wall of the chamber26, the cut-out portion also providing a shoulder 6d. The sheave alsohas a diagonal cutaway portion 62 adjacent the cut-out portion 58 whichextends from one face of the sheave to the other at about an angle of 45to the face of the sheave, providing a cam face, the purpose of whichwill be described presently. A peripheral other at about an angle of 45to the faces of the sheave, one end of which terminates at the shoulder6E), and a short groove '56 is formed in the periphery of the sheaveadjacent the shoulder. The sheave is held in place by a screw 53 screwedinto the outer end of the central shaft 48.

As shown in Figure 2, the valve body is provided with an internallythreaded pull cable outlet opening 58 for receiving a flexible conduitif! having a coupling nut 12 thereon exteriorly threaded for threadinginto the opening 58. The cable outlet 68 communicates with the chamber26 and is adapted to receive a flexible cable M loosely threaded throughthe flexible conduit and having a ball 16 and an integral guide piece orhandle 18 carried on its inner end,

the said ball 16 providing anchoring means for detachably connectingthat end of the cable to the sheave at the cut-out 58 and in engagementwith the shoulder of the sheave. The other end of the pull cable has aclip 19, which may be attached to a handle (not shown) at the outside ofthe packed raft, or to an extension cable (not shown) extending to theoutside of the packed raft. v

The valve body I0 is provided with another internally threaded pullcable outlet similar to the outlet 68 and disposed substantiallyopposite the latter outlet. The outlet 80 normally is blocked, as shownin Figure 2, by a removable stud 82 having a bevelled face and beingheld in place by a threaded plug 84. This stud and the flexible conduitare interchangeable, whereby the cable may extend out of the valve bodin either direction, as will be more fully described hereinafter. Asplit spring obturating ring 85 is disposed in a groove formed on theinner wall of the chamber 26, the purpose of which will be describedpresently.

The chamber 25 has an open end which is normally closed by a cover plate86 having a flange 88 and held in place by screws 90.

In assembling the fluid release device of the present invention, the camfollower arm 34 is secured in the bottom wall of the chamber 26 by meansof the screw threaded stud 35 on which the arm is pivotally mounted, andat the same time the spring 40 is inserted in place. The plate 54carrying the cam 42 is then set in position on the shaft 48 with the camfollower roller 38 in engagement with the cam and with the stud 50 onthe plate E4 projecting outwardly of the chamber. The sheave 52 is thenplaced on the shaft 43 and superimposed on the plate with the with itsball and guide piece leading. sheave is in properposition forthreadingof the answers stud =58 in one of the apertures 54 or .56mi the sheave,depending =upon which cable outletds to "beutilized, as will bedescribedpresently, after which the retaining screw 53 for the sheave is securedin place. Phe obturating IlIlg -85 lSthBn set in its groove, and thepull cable inserted through the :llexible conduit, whereby the ball 6 isin engagement with the shoulder 61) of the sheave 52 and with the"portion of the cable adjacent the ball in the short groove 66=and thecable wrapped about the sheave.

Assuming that the valve assembly o'f'the present-inventionisto beoperated-bythe pull cable arranged in the positionshown'in Figure l, thesheave 52 will be in the position shown-in F igures 2 and 3 with thestud 5B in the aperture 56. Shouldit bedesired to-convertthereleasedevice whereby to reverse the directionof pull the flexibleconduit Wand itsnut 12 are removed from the position shown'in 'Figurelgthebloczking plug il andthe blocking-stud. -82 are *removed from thecable outlet 8 and transferred to the cable outlet 68, and theflexibleconduitis-secured in the cable outlet Bil, as shown in Figure l.The sheave 52 is then removedfromthe shaft 48 and the stud 5E! andturned around about 180 degrees and replaced with the s'tud bfl enteringthe aperture 5 5 in the sheave, atter which the retaining screw isreplaced to "hold thensheave in its new position.

In threading the cable about the sheave #52, the cable is pushedthrcughtheflexible-conduit If the cable through the selected cableoutlet the cam faceprovided by the 45 degree cut-away portion 62 of thesheave Will be in register with the-cable outlet, so that theguidepiece-and the ball will engage the cam face-andwill be guidedthereby toward the open end of the chamber 2 6,'-whereby it can readilybe grasped by hand and wrapped about the sheave with-theballpositioned'in engagement with the shoulder 60 -of the sheave. Thecover plate 86 may then be'placed in position to cover the open end ofthe chamber 26.

The portion of the ring 85 adjacent the cable outlet prevents thethreading of the cable about the sheave, except when the sheave is inthe proper position to receive the cable through that outlet, the properpositionbeing determined by the cam face 62 of the sheave being inalignment with the cable outlet.

The outer end of the stud 50 is preferably 001- ored, green for example,and the outer face of the sheave 52 is of a distinctive color red forexample. The cover plate has a Window 92therein with which the stud '50is in register when the valve is closed, so that there is a visibleindication of the position of the valve. In other words, when the stud,or the green color of the stud end, is seen through the window it willbe an indication that the valve is closed. However, when the valve hasbeen operated, the stud is no longer in register with the window,because of the rotation of the sheave, and the red color of the outerface of the sheave is visible through the window thereby indicatingthatthe valve has been operated and is open.

In use, the container [6, with its valve assembly id, is attached to apack raft, in its deflated condition, with the discharge outlet 32 ofthe release control device in communication-with the interior of theraft. The clasp 19 at the outer end of the cable is attached to a handleat the outside of the packed raft, or to -an ex- "same. will-beunderstood from the foregoing,

the cable will be completely pulled out .of the =val-ve assembly whichserves'as an additional indieation that the release-control device hasbeen operated.

Insome rafts, wherein more than one container .of fluid pressure mediumis employed, the outerendof thepull cable'of the release con- *troldevice df one containeris attached to a portion of the raft which isfirst inflated upon the discharge of "the other container, so that thesaid-cable is pulled automatically by the raft itself upon itsinitial-inflation. The "present invention, obviously, is suitable"forluse-with such rafts.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention providesa fluid release control device for a container of fluid pressure mediumcapable of being mountedon-an inflatable raft, whereby the device can bereadily converted for operation from a plurality :of positions, whichdevice willoperate efficiently regardless of the position from which itis operated.

It will also be seen-that visual indicating means are "provided wherebyit can-readily be determined whether or not the valve=has been openedand the contents of the container discharged.

From the'foregoing description, and the 'accompanying drawings, itwillalso be seen that the valve-assembly of the presentinvention includes asheave having means to facilitate threading of the cable about thesheave.

Likewise, it will be seen that-the operation of the valve by engagementof the valvestem by a pivoted cam follower results in a moreefiicientoperable device than where the cam itself engages a valve stem.

While I have illustrated and describeda'pre- 'ferred embodiment of myinvention,'it is to 'be understood that I do not wish to be'limited tothat precise structure and arrangement of parts, as obviously variouschanges .and'm'odifications may be made .therein without departing fromthe spirit and scopeof my invention.

I claim:

1. In a fluidrelease control device "for effecting movement of a closureopening member, the combination of a housing; a pull cable; a rotatablemember mounted withinlthe housing and having means for connecting thepull cable there- .to; a cam for operating the closure opening member;.and means for operatively connecting the rotatable member to the cam inone of a plurality of "relative positions, "said housing having aplurality of spaced apertures for selectively accommodating the pullcable, the selected aperture being determined by the position of therotatable member relative "to the cam.

2. In'ailuidrelease controldevice for effecting movement of a closureopening member,-the combination of ahousing; a pull cable; a rotatablemember 'mounte'dwithin the housing and"having means for detachablyconnecting one end of the pull cable thereto; 'a'camfor-operating' theclosure opening member; and means for operatively connecting therotatable member to the cam in a selected one of two relative positions,said housing having a pair of substantially oppositely disposedapertures for selectively accommodating the pull cable, the selectedaperture being determined by the selected position of the rotatablemember relative to the cam.

3. In a fluid release control device for effecting movement of a closureopening member, the combination of a housing; a pull cable; a rotatablemember mounted within the housing and having means for detachablconnecting one end of the pull cable thereto; a cam for operating theclosure opening member; means for operatively connecting the rotatablemember to the cam in a selected one of two relative positions, saidhousing having a pair of substantially oppositely disposed apertures forselectively accommodating the pull cable, the selected aperture beingdetermined by the selected position of the rotatable member relative tothe cam, and means in said housing preventing the connection of thecable to the rotatable member unless inserted in the selected aperture.

4. In a fluid release control device for effecting movement of a closureopening member, the combination of a housing; a pull cable; a rotatablemember mounted within the housing and having means for detachablyconnecting one end of the pull cable thereto; a cam for operating theclosure opening member; means for operatively connecting the rotatablemember to the cam in one of two relative positions, said housing havinga pair of substantially oppositely disposed apertures for selectivelyaccommodating the pull cable, the selected aperture being determined bythe position of the rotatable member relative to the cam, and a flexibleconduit for the cable having means for attachment of one end of theconduit in a selected aperture.

5. In a fluid release control device for effecting movement or" aclosure opening member, the combination of a housing; a pull cable; arotatable member mounted Within the housing and having means fordetachably connecting one end of the pull cable thereto; a cam foroperating the closure opening member; means for operatively connectingthe rotatable member to the cam in one of two relative positions, saidhousing having a pair of substantially oppositely disposed screwthreaded apertures for selectively accommodating the pull cable, theselected aperture being determined by the position of the rotatablemember relative to the cam, a flexible conduit for the cable havingscrew threaded means for attachment of one end of the conduit in aselected aperture, and means for closing the other of said apertures.

6. In a fluid release control device for effecting movement of a closureopening member, the combination of a housing; a pull cable; a sheavemounted within the housing and having means for detachably connectingone end of the pull cable thereto; cam means for efiecting operation ofthe closure opening member; and a stud associated with said cam means;said sheave having a pair of apertures disposed substantially 180degrees apart adapted to receive said stud, whereby to operativelyconnect the sheave to the cam in one of two selected positions relativeto the cam; said housing having a pair of substantially oppositelydisposed apertures for selectively accommodating the pull cable, theselected aperture being determined by the selected position of thesheave relative to the cam.

7. In a fluid release control device for effecting movement of a closureopening member, the combination of a housing; a pull cable; a sheavemounted within the housing and having means for detachably connectingone end of the pull cable thereto; a cam for effecting operation of theclosure opening member; a plate disposed between the sheave and cam onone side of which the cam is mounted; and a stud carried by said plateon the side thereof opposite the cam; said sheave having a pair ofapertures disposed substantially degrees apart adapted to selectivelyreceive said stud, whereby to operatively connect the sheave to theplate and cam in one of two selected positions relative to the cam; saidhousing having a pair of substantially oppositely disposed apertures forselectively accommodating the pull cable, the selected aperture beingdetermined by the selected position of the sheave relative to the cam.

8. In a fluid release control device for efiecting movement of a closureopening member, the combination of a housing providing a chamber; a pullcable; a shaft in said chamber; a sheave rotatably mounted on said shaftand having means for detachably connecting one end of the pull cablethereto; a cam rotatably mounted on said shaft for effecting operationof the closure opening member; a plate rotatably mounted on said shaftand disposed between the sheave and cam on one side of which the cam ismounted; a stud carried by said plate on the side thereof opposite thecam; said sheave having a pair of apertures disposed substantially 180degrees apart adapted to selectively receive said stud, whereby tooperatively connect the sheave to the plate and cam in one of twoselected positions relative to the cam; and means for securing saidsheave in its selected position; said housing having a pair ofsubstantially oppositely disposed apertures for selectivelyaccommodating the pull cable, the selected aperture being determined bythe selected position of the sheave relative to the cam.

9. A fluid reiease control device for eiiecting movement of aclosure'opening member comprising in combination, a housing, a sheaverotatably mounted in the housing, a pull cable adapted to be wrappedabout said sheave and having anchor means on one end thereof, saidhousing having an aperture formed therein through which the pull cableextends, means formed on the sheave for detachably connecting the anchormeans of the cable to the sheave, means associated with and operable bythe sheave for effecting movement of the closure opening member uponpulling the cable, and guide means on said sheave for guiding the anchormeans to facilitate wrapping of the cable about the sheave.

10. A fluid release control device for effecting movement of a closureopening member comprising in combination, a housing having a chamberprovided with an open end; a cover for said open end; a sheave rotatablymounted in said chamber; a pull cable adapted to be wrapped about saidsheave and having anchor means on one end thereof; said housing havingan aperture formed therein through which the pull cable extends; meansformed on the sheave for detachably connecting the anchor means of thecable to the sheave; cam means associated with and operable by thesheave for effecting movement OJ. the CLOSRI'G opening member uponpulling the cable, and guide means formed on one face of said sheave inalignment with said aperture for guiding the anchor means outwardly ofsaid open end to faciiitate grasping the cable and wrapping the sameabout the sheave.

11. A fluid release control device for effecting movement of a closureopening member comprising in combination, a housing having an open end,rotatable sheave means removably mounted in the housing, a pull cableadapted to be wrapped about said sheave and having anchor means on oneend thereof, said housing having an aperture formed therein throughwhich the pull cable extends, shoulder means formed on the sheave fordetachably connecting the anchor means of the cable to the sheave, meansassociated with and operable by the sheave for effecting movement of theclosure opening member upon pulling the cable, and bevelled guide meansformed in one face of said sheave adjacent said shoulder means forguiding the anchor means outwardly of the open end of the housing tofacilitate gripping the cable and wrapping the same about the sheavewith the anchor means in engagement with said shoulder.

12. A fluid release control device for effecting movement of a closureopening member compris- 25 the housing, a pull cable adapted to bewrapped about said sheave and having anchor means on one end thereof,said housing having an aperture formed therein through which the pullcable extends, shoulder means formed on the sheave for detachablyconnecting the anchor means of the cable to the sheave, means associatedwith and operable by the sheave for effecting movement of the closureopening member upon pulling the cable, and a cover plate for said openend having a window disposed in a predetermined position therein; saidsheave means being provided with two distinctive indicia means, one ofwhich is visible through said window when the release device has notbeen operated and the other being visible through the window when thedevice has been operated.

THEODORE N. HANNANT.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Grant Oct. 9, 1935Number

